Texans get their man in standout safety Reed

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John McClain contributed to this article

Six days after the Texans sent a private plane to woo him, Ed Reed made his decision.

The nine-time Pro Bowl safety agreed to sign with the Texans. The deal was finalized Wednesday night.

Ed Reed will finally find out what it feels like to put on an NFL uniform for a team besides the Ravens. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Reed, 34, spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, winning a Super Bowl with them last season. The likely future Hall of Famer has led the NFL in interceptions three times.

With the acquisition of Reed, the Texans fill a hole left by safety Glover Quin, who signed with the Detroit Lions last week.

“I grew up watching him,” cornerback Kareem Jackson said of Reed. “He was on one of my favorite college teams growing up. Definitely watched him play for years. Finally to be on the same team and be in the DB room with him — I definitely grew up looking up to him. I still do.”

Jackson isn’t the only Texans player who has looked up to Reed throughout his illustrious career.

“I came to the University of Miami in 2000, and he had a couple more years left,” said center Chris Myers. “That year in 2001, when (Miami won the national championship), he was the undisputed leader of our secondary and the defense as well.

“We had so many big names. I got to watch him, to have a leader like that when you’re a young player like I was, even as an offensive lineman to see a safety lead a team like that, put it on his back, was unreal.”

Getting to free agency was unexpected for Reed, who figured he would spend his whole career in Baltimore. He took only one visit, spending 11/2 days in Houston last week.

The Texans sent general manager Rick Smith in owner Bob McNair’s private plane to Atlanta, where Reed has an offseason home.

He spent part of that time at Reliant Stadium meeting with Texans officials and coaches. Reed then went to dinner with coaches and his two college teammates who play for the Texans: receiver Andre Johnson and Myers.

No hard sell

“That night, it wasn’t about trying to sell him the city,” Myers said. “He knew what he was getting with the city of Houston; he’s been here plenty of times. I’m sure he’s talked to Dre plenty of times. Him meeting with (defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) — what he had in mind for him, and vice versa. Obviously, (Reed) enjoyed it enough … to sign here.

“The overall football aspect of it is completely separate from the relationship he has with Andre. I think those things mended in the right way.”

Reed left Houston last Friday without a contract. But he told his agent to continue negotiating with the Texans.

Smith and Reed’s agent, David Dunn, had conversations this week in Phoenix, where the NFL meetings took place. On Tuesday, the Texans’ offer was for three years at $4 million per year.

The parameters of the deal changed, however, and Reed agreed to the deal while Smith flew home from the meetings.

Reed will play in the Texans secondary next to safety Danieal Manning, another player who has closely followed Reed’s career.

“Playing with a future Hall of Famer on the back end, having the privilege to pick his brain … having a player like that help us get to the next level is tremendous,” Manning said. “It’s definitely one of the biggest pieces to get to the next level and playing and winning the Super Bowl.”

Three in, three out

Reed becomes the third and most significant player the Texans have signed in free agency. They also signed backup offensive tackle Andrew Gardner and slot cornerback Brice McCain.

In addition to losing Quin to the Lions, the Texans lost fullback/tight end James Casey and outside linebacker Connor Barwin to the Philadelphia Eagles.